Masks
by NessieWinsa
Summary: Nagihiko and Rima were almost condemed to show they're outside character, but as they grow up, they start to learn that they'll have to take their masks off someday to be truley free. One-shot, and Birthdayfic for Aquatwin! T for language?


**Piggy-chan: HAPPY BIRTHDAY AQUATWIN!**

**Rima: She's drugged again.**

**Piggy-chan: Am not, how would you know? I'm always like this.**

**Rima: Then you're drugged for life aka retarded.**

**Piggy-chan: NO I'M NOT! YOU ARE!**

**Rima: Whatever. **

**Piggy-chan: I would like to say I came up with this by myself, but then I'd be lying. I owe thanks to AliNavGo on Devientart for making a picture (called 'Expectations') which inspired me to write this! ^-^ TENK U!**

**Rima: Link is on Piggy-chan's profile. And, the retard doesn't own anything, unless you don't recognise some character's names, then those are her OCs.**

**Piggy-chan: YUP! And stop calling me a retard.**

**Rima: Too bad, retard. Enjoy!**

_-NW_ :3

**

* * *

**

**Masks**

By NessieWinsa

* * *

**.**

**.::.**

**Masks…**

**.::.**

**.**

"Okay, see you later… uh…"

"Nagihiko."

"Hey, cool name man!" A boy with brown hair grinned. "We'll see you later, right?"

A smaller boy with a hoodie covering his long, purple hair looked down at his feet in disappointment. "I don't know, I'm sorry."

"Why don't you know?" Another one of his new found friends put a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, I'm visiting," Nagihiko said with a sad smile. "But I'm sure I'll come again soon."

His friends nodded sadly, but tried to keep their leaving as happy as possible.

"Well," Said one of the boys. "If you're not going to be here anytime soon," the other boy handed Nagihiko an orange ball. "Keep practicing until we meet again. Then we'll see who's the best!"

Nagihiko stared at the ball in wonder. "Th-thank you. You don't have to—"

"Yes we do!" A boy with red hair cut in "You don't have a ball, so it wouldn't be fair if the next time we meet, you don't do so well, it will be because you didn't practice."

"But—"

"Keep it!" They shouted as they ran from the basket ball court. They stopped at the entrance. "We'll see you soon, okay?"

Nagihiko smiled. "See you!" The boys waved back and soon, Nagihiko was alone in the basket ball court. "Practice, huh?"

Nagihiko dribbled it a few times before shooting it into the basket.

_I like this feeling_, Nagihiko thought to himself as he continued to play on his own at a pace so rhythmic, some may say he was dancing. Movements so much like the wind as he ran around, it was almost… magical. His purple hair whirled around with him and the basketball bounced flawlessly by his side. He approached the basket at full speed, his mind blank, but his instincts took over as he leaped and shot the ball with his fingers, delicately but firmly, in mid-air.

The ball fell through the basket and dropped back onto the pavement gently. Nagihiko walked over to the strange orange ball and picked it up with pride. He had always watched his classmates and boys in the courts during recess and before and after school playing basketball. He had yearned to try it, just once if that was all he could ever do, and he did. It made him ecstatic. He felt hope, pride, eager, joy, hyper, happy, and _free_ from everything. He felt like everything was at _his_ own pace, not someone else's, but _his_ own way and comfort. And he _loved_ this feeling.

The sky grew dark before Nagihiko noticed and he realized that if he didn't get home soon, his mother would notice his absence.

Nagihiko groaned as he pulled himself into his room through his window. "Oof!" He fell head-first and rolled all the way to his open door.

"Well, well," his mother sighed. "I wonder where you were."

Nagihiko jumped slightly. He hadn't anticipated his mother checking on him this early before dinner. "Just… trying to see how boy's clothes felt?" Nagihiko made his lie sound more of a question by mistake of his nervousness. He had never lied to his mother before, and he _wouldn't_ have needed to if his curiosity hadn't gotten the better of him.

"Fujisaki Nagihiko," his mother said in a disappointed tone. "I had thought you weren't into lying to me like that."

Nagihiko hung his head. His mother rarely used his _real_ name because of the fact she was trying to get him used to his girl name. "I'm sorry mother. It won't happen again."

"I am very upset with you, dear child. First, you run off on your own without letting me know."

Nagihiko felt like running into a hole. On the exceptional occasions when his mother had to scold him on matters other than dance, instead of yelling at him, she would tell him how disappointed she was. It was far worse than having your parent yell at you, because they would just raise their voice for a few seconds, then it would pass as if nothing happened. But having a parent tell you how upset they were, _that_ was pure torture. Not of boredom and exhaustion, oh no, but the exact opposite. They would say things about how they trusted you and left hopes and acknowledged you were worthy enough to put faith in you, in simple terms; you _failed_ them.

"Then you dressed up as a boy and played boy games."

Nagihiko trembled as his mother went on.

"And now you're _lying_ to me? Nagihiko, I thought you were better than that! Why can't you follow what your destiny is meant to be? Resisting will not do you any good."

Nagihiko remained quiet.

"Do you understand the pain I am being put through?"

Nagihiko looked away.

"No, I don't think you do." His mother sighed. "Maybe when you have children of your own and they learn to do as you train now, perhaps you will understand then."

"Stop," Nagihiko closed his eyes from exploding. All the pressure, he couldn't handle it any longer. "Please stop." He whispered.

"Why is that?"

Nagihiko took a deep breath. "I may not understand how you feel," Nagihiko's mother waited, but what came next out of Nagihiko's mouth surprised her for the first time since Nagihiko was born and confirmed to be male. "But you don't know how _I_ feel either."

"Oh?" Nagihiko's mother crossed her arms. She hid her shocked expression with a challenged one.

"How would you feel if you were to be a boy for the rest of your life?"

"That if irrelevant to your situation—"

"Is it?" Nagihiko cut in.

Nagihiko's mom was stunned by her son's sudden impulse to interrupt her. She had taught him to be respectful like a proper lady, yet here he was, cutting her off. His glare was unusually strange, she had never seen him look so angry towards her before. Maybe when he couldn't get a movement right, or at competitions when he had rivalry to go against, but certainly not his own mother. Then his expression saddened after a few moments of silence.

"I am sorry," his mother finally said. She gave him an apologetic nod, but meant no desire to make things up to him. "But I can not agree or comprehend your situation. This matter is closed."

"But mother—"

"I have stated this matter closed, did you not hear me?"

"I…" Nagihiko looked at his feet. "I heard."

"Good," his mother was about to get back to the kitchen when she saw a small orange ball in the corner of his room. "What is that?"

"Huh?" Nagihiko turned his head in the direction of his mother's gaze until he saw what she was looking at. "Uh, it's a gift."

"A gift?" She walked over to it and picked it up with her fragile fingers, making sure she didn't break a nail. "What sort of person would give a girl such _rubbish_?"

"It's not rubbish!" Nagihiko yelled. "I'm not a _girl_! And it means a lot to me!"

Nagihiko's mother raised an eyebrow. "And it is making you forget your manners. I think this is the cause to all our problems."

"No!" Nagihiko ran over to his mother and tried to snatch the orange object away from her. "Please! I swear, it has nothing to do with this."

"Oh, I believe this is the very source," his mother said as she held the ball above his head, out of his reach.

"No, please! I beg you!" Nagihiko got on his knees as tears made their way to his eyes, but he forced them down with a swallow. "Don't take it away. I need it."

Nagihiko's mother's eyes narrowed. "State the nature of your pleads."

"It makes me… so…" he tried to describe the feeling. "Wonderful. Like I have another talent other than dance. That there might be…" _Another me_.

The purple-haired woman stared at the ball, then at her son. "And it is that very reason I am getting rid of this _thing_."

"NO!" Nagihiko grabbed at his mother's kimono but realized there was no way of changing his stubborn mother's mind.

Nagihiko's mother walked out of her son's room. "Please… don't…" She heard him whimper as she continued. Her mind was debating over to get rid of it, or to return it.

_What's done is done_, she thought as she made her way to the kitchen through many dark halls. Her head clogged with sad and disturbed thoughts, the biggest one; _Am I doing the right thing as a mother?_

Nagihiko sat on the floor of his room. Tears already coming out. One rippled down his cheek and dripped off his chin and onto the floor. Nagihiko stared at the bare, cold floor where his tear had landed.

"Boy's don't cry…" he told himself quietly as more salty tears appeared on the floor. "It's lucky I'm a girl."

Nagihiko sobbed all night.

**.**

**.::.**

**Hide Who We…**

**.::.**

**.**

"This is your fault! All of it!"

"_My_ fault? What about _you_, you pathetic excuse of a father!"

"Excuse me, _I'm_ pathetic? You're not exactly who I'd call the perfect mother!"

"Oh, you just shut up about the way I treat our daughter. It's obvious she loves me more."

"_What?_ You mean this slut I see in-front of me?"

"_How dare you!_ I'm great compared to a filthy ass-hole like you!"

"No, _you're_ on the bottom of the line. You're lower than a pig!"

A frightened little blonde haired girl hid in the shadows of the light, listening to her parents argue.

_Why are Mama and Papa fighting?_ She thought, sadness in her eyes. _Well, I guess I'll go cheer them up._

She took a few steps into the light, blinked a couple of times before adjusting to the brightness. She walked forward and stood beside her parents as they shot insults at each other, unaware by their daughter's presence.

"Mama? Papa?"

They stopped abruptly.

"Rima? Shouldn't you be asleep?" Her mother said, surprised that her daughter was still awake.

"Yes, I'm sorry." She replied with a smile. "But I don't like Mama and Papa fighting. I can't sleep, maybe if you stop and make up—"

"_See?_ Now it's _your_ fault that's she's awake!" Her father cut in.

"Oh sure," Rima's mother scoffed. "Always blame the wife."

"_Gladly_." Her father snapped.

"Stop!" Rima said with tears. "Please don't make angry faces." She pulled her face in funny directions the way she always did to make them laugh. "Please smile, Mama, Papa. Please don't yell anymore."

For a few moments, her parents were quiet.

"I think it's _your_ fault for teaching your daughter to be so stupid." Her mother grumbled.

"I'm the worker here!" Rima's father yelled. "_You're_ supposed to be teaching her!"

"No, we _both_ work," her mother yelled. "_I'm_ the one making most of the money!"

"But _I_ work the longest, so I believe _I_ make the most!"

"You're such a _liar_! I work more!"

"You have such useless skills; it's almost amazing how you found work."

"You just went there, _buster_!"

Hurt, Rima climbed back up the stairs. Had she always been stupid? No, they always laughed at her funny faces. What hadn't worked this time?

_Get her in the car!_

Rima's eyes widened in fear as she tripped on a stair and hit her chin, hard. She was about to cry out in pain when her parents' words came back to her.

"Crying is stupid," she grumbled. "It's pointless and dumb."

She picked herself up and walked back to her room.

_The police are gaining on us!_

_Aw, what a cute looking girl._

_Leave her if you need to! Just get us out of here!_

_She'll pay a heft price on the market with looks like her, won't she?_

Rima remembered what had happened. She had almost been kidnapped. Because she was pretty. Because she was adorable. Because she was irresistible. Because she was _cute_.

She didn't want to be a sweet, cute little girl anymore. She wanted to be unconquerable.

She wanted to make her parents laugh again. To prove them wrong, that's what she wanted.

_I think it's your fault for teaching your daughter to be so stupid._

Stupid, was she really stupid? Weren't funny things funny anymore?

Rima cried silently as moonlight flowed into her room, a soft breeze drifting through her window.

"It's stupid, but I'm going to try." Rima said to herself as she cried for the rest of the night.

**.**

**.::.**

**Truly Are…**

**.::.**

**.**

"Nadeshiko, wrong again." His mother sighed.

Nagihiko frowned. It had been the seventeenth time he had tried the dance that day, yet he still could not get it right. This was by far the most challenging dance he had ever encountered. Nagihiko sagged his shoulders, frustrated in his attempts of success to have failed.

"It is bedtime, Young Mistress." Baaya told him. "We will continue tomorrow after school." He excused himself and ran to his room to change. Something inside of him had stirred, and he wanted to know _what_ and _why_.

He took off the make-up, hair elastics, shoes and kimono and slipped on his pajamas before opening his closet. He dug through a few boxes before reaching a pink music box. Slowly, he opened the lid to reveal a pink egg with amethyst flowers.

"I guess you're not going to hatch today, are you?"

The egg moved slightly.

"Hmm?" Nagihiko tilted his head. "Don't you want to come out now? It can get awfully boring by myself."

_Nadeshiko…_

"Huh?" Nagihiko turned around but found no one there. "I could have sworn…"

_Swearing isn't good for you Nadeshiko._

"Hello?" Nagihiko got up and put his egg closer to his body, afraid something want to attack it.

_Nadeshiko…_

"Y-yes?" Nagihiko answered nervously. "Who are you? _Where_ are you?"

_Right here, Nadeshiko._

Nagihiko breathed in a couple of times. He felt air from different directions, telling him to move according to them.

_Dance Nadeshiko! Dance for me…_

Slowly, Nagihiko obliged to the voice, but still couldn't help but feel suspicious.

_Nadeshiko… what do you feel?_

"Peace, gentle, but powerful and firm." Nagihiko replied.

_Nadeshiko, why were you so frustrated when you couldn't master the dance earlier?_

"Because I couldn't do it!" Nagihiko said in an angered tone. "Why else?"

_Nadeshiko, try to be more patient._ The voice continued in a soft, gentle tone. _Believe you can, and you can. But you have to put your heart and soul into it._

"Yes…" Nagihiko understood what the voice meant. "You have to put a bit of yourself in what you create. Especially dance."

_Exactly Nadeshiko! Dance a dance…_

"…With your whole heart." Nagihiko continued. "And you will surely…"

_Make the dance even more magical…_

"…Than it already is." Nagihiko opened his eyes as he felt the winds die down.

Suddenly, the pink egg floated into the air in-front of Nagihiko and cracked open. A tiny long, amethyst-haired girl popped out with a sakura hair elastic and light pink kimono decorated with pink flowers.

"Hello, Nadeshiko." The girl bowed slightly. "My name is Temari. And I am your dream to dance your own dance with your heart."

Nagihiko stared at the strange little person in wonderment. "You're… me?"

"Yes," Temari replied. "And with my help, you just accomplished the dance you had difficulties with earlier."

Nagihiko retraced the steps mentally and realized she was right. "I did… didn't I?"

Temari nodded with a cute smile. "You _will_ fulfill your dream. I know you will. Because I am your Shugo Chara!"

Nagihiko smiled and welcomed his new friend.

**.**

**.::.**

**So Take Your Mask Off…**

**.::.**

**.**

"Everyone smile!"

The man told the class and everyone smiled, some even used the Western tradition of saying 'Cheese'. But a petite blonde in the front row did not smile. Not even a twitch.

"Mashiro-san!" The teacher groaned when they received the photos a week later.

"Yes, sensei?" The doll-like girl answered un-emotionally.

"You didn't smile," the teacher put her hands on her hips. "Again."

Clearly, they've had this conversation before. This was the fifth class photo the class has had.

"Why do I need to smile when there is nothing to smile about?" Rima asked.

The teacher sighed. "Because it's a class picture."

"So?"

"You should be happy!"

"But I would be lying then."

The teacher began to say something but stopped herself and dismissed the young girl to go home with a sigh.

Rima walked through the empty halls as she made her way home. She got down the school steps when she noticed her mother's car waiting for her at the entrance.

"Goodness, Rima. Why were you so late?" Her mother said in a tired tone.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't good enough." Her mother started the car as soon as Rima closed the door in the backseat.

Rima remained quiet in the back of the car, just watching as trees, houses, fences and people passed by in a blur. Anything to distract her from her mother's icy cold stare from the rearview mirror. Then something moved in her backpack.

Quietly, when her mother was busy trying to avoid some crazy pedestrians, Rima took out a strange little egg that could have been mistaken for an Easter egg. It had a checkered red-white pattern on the top and bottom, but in the middle it was pink with different shades of blue stars and violet rain drops. Rima hugged it closer to her body to hide it from her mother's prying eyes. Exposing it a little, she thought to herself, _it's not going to hatch now, is it?_

Fortunately, it didn't. As soon as the car came to a stop on the drive way, Rima grabbed her bag, stuffed the egg in her pocket and kicked the car door open.

She burst through the house door after her mother unlocked it and ran up to her room. The fight was going to start… any minute now.

"Oh, so you're back."

"The Hell! You were here the whole time, why didn't _you_ pick Rima up?"

"As you can see, _I'm_ busy!"

"With what? Tax managing? Screw this, you can't get anything right!" A sound like something was being thrown on the ground echoed through the near-empty household.

"Oh, what's the fucking point to do this when some stupid woman is going to ruin everything!"

"I'm not the stupid one here!"

"Psh, yeah right. Look at your daughter. She doesn't even have the brains to stay away from strangers _who might want to kidnap her!_" Her father said the last part very loudly.

"Don't you go there again—"

"The fucking hell I did."

Rima gripped the stair railing, digging her finger nails into her skin. Her parents continued to scream insults at each other. She gripped it even tighter.

_There has to be a way to escape this hell hole_, Rima thought. Even for a little girl, she wasn't supposed to use words like she did, but being influenced by parents who swore every few seconds, you couldn't expect much less.

Rima thought of her happy times. When they all smiled and laughed and the house wasn't so empty. When it wasn't empty of happiness.

_Rima, is that what you wish?_

Rima's eyes flickered upward.

"Who…?" Rima whispered.

_It's okay Rima-chan_, a little voice giggled. _It's okay to laugh._

Rima ran up the stairs, terrified. She slammed the door, but not hard enough for her parents to hear. She dived under the bed and took out her egg, holding it close to her body.

_Rima-chan, please don't be afraid…_

"L-look, who ever you are, just… just stay away from me." Rima whispered, trembling. One kidnapping in her life time was enough for her.

_Rima-chaan, it's not nice to say things like that! You can be sooo mean…_

"Who are you!" Rima yelled to the ceiling. The cry hung in the air, like the sound was plastered on a wall.

_Rima, you shouldn't be afraid._

"Why ever not?" Rima pulled herself out. "I don't want to be kidnapped again—"

_You're afraid._

Rima rolled her honey-coloured eyes. "Well, duh! I don't even know _where_ you are."

Suddenly, the little egg in Rima's hands began to wobble.

_You're afraid… to laugh again._

It took all her will-power not to refuse the voice's speculation. "What… what if I am?"

_Do you believe it is possible to laugh again?_

Rima pressed her lips in a thin line. "I guess so… I mean, I want to…"

_Then why aren't you laughing?_

"Easy for you to say," Rima grumbled. "My parents… my life, school, it doesn't give me anything to laugh about."

_Rima… maybe I can help you._

"You?" Rima scoffed to no one in particular. "How?"

_Hey… maybe I can give you something to laugh about!_ The voice sounded all perked up, ready to do some comedy.

"You don't even know me, why would _you_ help?" Rima said, trying not to cry.

_Because I don't want to see you sad anymore._

Rima blinked. "Well… if you can make me laugh…. I'll see if I can laugh."

_What about your parents?_

For a moment, Rima didn't say anything. "I want to make them laugh too."

_Why?_

"Even though they fight about me…they deserve to laugh. Everything good deserves to be happy." The little egg began to float out of Rima's hands. To her surprise, the egg cracked open in mid-air and a tiny stringy, blonde haired girl somersaulted out. She wore an orange polka-dotted clown jumpsuit, clown shoes, and a clown hat with a green pom-pom at the end. She wore green face paint with the same shapes as her egg.

"Hiya, Rima-chan!" The little clown girl greeted with a giggle. "I'm Kusukusu and I'm going to lighten your day!" She twirled around twice before striking a pose and saying "Bala-Balance!"

Rima gawked at the little girl. "How did you know… that I love that comedy show?"

Kusukusu giggled again. "Silly!" She smiled. "I know everything about you, because I'm your Shugo Chara! I'm going to make your wish come true!"

Rima couldn't help but smile for the first time in a long while.

**.**

**.::.**

**And Show The World…**

**.::.**

**.**

"Hey, Rima-chan," Nagihiko called for what seemed like the gajillionth time. " Aren't you—"

"Shut your trap already, purple-head!" She barked.

Nagihiko was silent until he finally mumbled, "I was just asking if you were going home soon."

Rima's head snapped up from a magazine she was reading and realized everyone in the classroom was gone.

"Um… just out of curiosity," Rima said carefully. "How long ago did the bell ring?"

"At least a good solid fifteen minutes," Nagihiko replied while checking his watch.

Kusukusu sat on Rima's shoulder and told her, "We should go now, Rima-chan. Your parents will get worried."

She nodded and gathered up her things before making her way to the exit.

"Rima," Nagihiko stopped her. "I was wondering—"

"Forget the honorific again, and I'll hurt you in places you don't want to think about," Rima threatened. Nagihiko recoiled a bit, but continued.

"Rima-_chan_," he said emphasizing the _chan_ part. "Do you want to uh…?" Nagihiko scratched his head a bit. God, was it always this hard talking to a pretty, chibi devil, ice queen? The answer; Yes.

As Nagihiko stammered, Rima couldn't help but feel a little guilty for jumping at him earlier. "My mom's not picking me up today, so you can walk with me."

Nagihiko gave her a surprised look, but grinned as he got his own stuff ready.

As they walked, they passed by Seiyo Middle school and Seiyo Elementary school.

"Is it okay if we stop here?" Nagihiko asked out of the blue.

"Why?"

"I want to see it again…" Rima immediately understood what he meant.

"I guess it would be okay for a little bit…"

Next thing she knew, Rima was being dragged by her arm to the back on the elementary school.

When they opened the doors, Rima breathed in slightly. It looked exactly like it had been four years ago.

"It's so nostalgic," Temari commented while Rhythm and Kusukusu played tag with each other.

Rima gazed at the flowers until she found herself watching her chara.

"What's wrong?" Nagihiko asked her with a worried face. "Feel sick?"

Rima shook her head. "I just feel… confused. Amu's charas had disappeared three years ago, so did Kairi's and Tadase's and Kukai's and Utau's. Even Yaya started to grow up and Pepe disappeared back into Yaya's heart. But Kusukusu… all these years and Kusukusu hadn't shown the slightest hint of fading back into me someday." I turned to him. "What if I never succeed my dream?"

Nagihiko thought while watching Temari chase Rhythm with her naginata for bouncing his basket ball on her head. Kusukusu just laughed hysterically.

"If you think that way," he said without taking his eyes off their charas, "You'll end up with an 'X' egg. You have to keep believing."

Rima sighed. "But my parents are divorced. There's no hope. I can't make them happy the way they used to."

"Does it have to be them?"

She stared at him strangely as he propped an arm on the chair. "What do you mean?"

"Your wish; does it have to be your parents?"

"Well," Rima thought. "They were the only people who mattered to me at the time. But I guess I really wanted to make anyone I cared about to laugh." Nagihiko nodded attentively. "Why?"

He shrugged. "No reason. I guess… I was looking for another solution for you. But do you really want to be separated from Kusukusu so badly?"

"No!" Rima said, her heart racing. "I didn't mean it that way. I just felt scared that I stayed the same over the few years while everyone else changed."

Strange to say, Nagihiko seemed to understand her. "Rhythm and Temari haven't changed either. I admit, it's baffling, but there's nothing I can do until I make my decision."

"Between dance and basket ball?"

He nodded. "I wish I didn't have to."

Rima sat there on a chair, thinking about Nagihiko's situation. _Maybe he's in a harder position than me_, she thought.

"The future is scary," Rima said quietly. "I don't want to face it. Maybe that's why Kusukusu hasn't gone yet. Because I'm still scared of going back to what I was before she was born."

"Me too," Nagihiko agreed. "I'm scared that I'll have to make a choice one of these days, and I'm going to make the wrong one." He sounded so lost and confused, Rima didn't know how to comfort him. So she didn't object when her body started moving on its own, and hugged the purple-haired boy.

"Rima-chan—"

"Shut it," Rima mumbled in his clothes as she buried her head in his shoulder. Nagihiko hesitated at first, but then slowly hugged her back.

"Mind I ask you why you hugged me?" Nagihiko asked when they pulled away. Rima blushed slightly.

"I didn't decide to hug you, I just did it. You were sad."

Nagihiko chuckled. "I guess _that_ explains it."

Rima looked away. "I should be getting home now." Nagihiko agreed.

"Rima?" Rima turned around just as they were going to split in different ways. "If you care about me, then you got your wish!" Nagihiko said, smiling like the idiot he was.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rima said with red flaring all over her face.

He just laughed.

**.**

**.::.**

**How You Can …**

**.::.**

**.**

Rima had walked for hours, from store to store, buying things here and there and finally came to rest at a small café near her old elementary school.

"Cup of coffee please," she ordered.

"Rima-chan's getting hooked on caffeine? Not good," a chuckle came from the seat behind Rima. She was about to smack the stranger with her purse when she realized she knew this person.

"N-Nagihiko?" Rima blinked in surprise at the tall, purple-haired man, his hair as long as always.

Nagihiko got up and slid into the seat in front of her. "Hey, how are you?"

"I last saw you yesterday at the school," Rima said in an impatient voice. "Remember? When you started to flirt with me in front of the students?"

Nagihiko just chuckled again, the thought gave Rima a head ache, but also a strange heated feeling on her cheeks.

Nagihiko never did picked his choice between dance and basket ball. He became a teacher for dance and basket ball at Seiyo Elementary school and Rima was the drama teacher along with Utau who came in time to time for singing lessons. Yaya became a famous ballerina and often came to teach students ballet for Nagihiko. Kukai was the head coach in Seiyo Middle school. He made the students go through a some-what more difficult exercises than what he used to put Amu through in her Joker training. Poor kids.

Kairi tried out many jobs, like a doctor, police man, firefighter, and spent most of his days teaching astronomy at the elementary school with Tadase who inherited the planetarium from Tsukasa, who in turn, had retired. Tadase also helped a bit in drama when he got in 'king-mode'. Amu got married to Ikuto who became a violin legend across the globe. Amu tried many jobs, but eventually settled as a housewife. She taught her kids art and cheered them up when they were sad. She did a lot of the cooking and cleaning in the mansion they lived in and showed her children their own talents. Utau who was still the greatest singer in Japan, became world wide famous and got married to Kukai. Yaya and Kairi where still in early stages, but Utau was trying to get something to happen between them. 'A spark!' she had said. 'We need something between them to spark!'

Rima smiled at Nagihiko who raised an eye brow. "I haven't seen you smile so easily before."

"You're just being blocked by my early images," Rima smirked. "When I used to insult you every opportunity I could."

"I remember," Nagihiko agreed. "You had some serious issues with me back then. When we first met… that was about twelve years ago!"

Rima laughed. "Your math has gotten slower over the years, _Fujisaki-sensei_."

He grinned, but the way he looked at her, it made her blush a bit. "What?"

"You haven't laughed loosely like that in a while either." Nagihiko answered, still not taking his eyes off of her face. "You should laugh more often. It makes you look prettier than you already are."

Rima's face practically glowed. "Shut up."

Nagihiko snickered. "Still the same old habits."

She giggled. Rima might have been older, but she still had the same cold-Rima but also the Kusukusu laugh.

They laughed and chatted as they ate. When they were done, Rima packed up her things.

"I guess I should get going now."

"Wait!" Nagihiko got up himself. "You look like you have an awfully heavy load to bring back to your house."

Rima smiled a little. "And you're saying you want to help?"

He shrugged.

"Maybe…"

In about half an hour later, Nagihiko was dragging the bags around. "How the… hell did you… get all this… stuff to… the café?" He asked between pants. Rima walked along like she was the queen and Nagihiko was her servant.

"Oh look!" Rima squealed (which is a rare sight to see a twenty four year old to squeal) as she ran over to another store of clothes.

When they had finished, Nagihiko handed her some bags and insisted she help if she didn't want him to break his back. Rima glared at him for a few minutes, then sighed and accepted.

"Hey," Nagihiko stopped in front of Seiyo Elementary. "I want to see…" Nagihiko began to walk to the back of the building with Rima tailing after.

"The Royal garden again?" Rima guessed.

"Yeah," Nagihiko sighed. "I never thought I'd come back as not a Guardian, but as a regular person."

Rima's eyes saddened at that thought. The charas, Easter, the Embryo, all of it was over. It just felt like a memory so distant, she wondered if any of it was ever real. Like a boat out at sea for so long, it faded in the distance until it was a speck in the horizon, then disappeared.

Then another memory flooded in. The time when they were teenagers and came back with their charas. It was the places she had hugged Nagihiko for the first time willingly.

"Rima…" Nagihiko was beginning to blush. It seemed he was thinking about it too. "I want to tell you something."

Rima glanced over at him. "Hm?"

"I really like you."

Rima blinked.

"I mean… I liked you before too but I've always found you were so cute and started to get beautiful as you grew up and I really wanted to tell you how I felt but I was afraid Rhythm would character change with me to make this 'more smooth' and I hadn't gotten the courage to tell you so I waited a while but I realized you might not like me…" By now Nagihiko was rambling uncontrollably.

Rima put a finger against his lips and pulled her face closer to his. It felt so slow, yet it was happening so fast. It was hard to explain. They're lips touched like a wind brushing against one's skin. They could feel the fast breathing of the other, their eyes locked, but slowly closed as their lips pressed together. It was intoxicating, like a poison that had you addicted until you could no longer think straight. For several minutes, both of them were hypnotized with the other, not wanting too let go. Of course, God created humans with lungs, so they had to breathe some time.

Finally, they broke apart.

"I love you too, Nagihiko." Rima whispered up to Nagihiko (who, by the way, was still a head taller than she was).

Nagihiko smiled and got down on his knees. For a split second, Rima thought he had slipped or gotten hurt, but when she bent down, Nagihiko motioned to her everything was fine. Then he took out a small, white box from his pocket.

He opened it in front of Rima and she gasped. It was a ring. A _wedding_ ring.

"You—"

"Will you marry me, Rima?"

Rima blinked. Like déjà vu. She felt joy, and excitement run up and down her body.

**.**

**.::.**

**Really Live…**

**.::.**

**.**

"I do," And Nagihiko kissed Rima while bending down and her on her tip toes.

The crowd burst into cheers, whistles and screams of joy.

"YEAH, RIMA-TAN!" Yaya screeched hysterically.

"Rima-chan!" Amu waved.

Rima waved back.

Utau smiled. "I knew there was something going on." She said with a smirk.

Kukai just slapped his head. "Man, why didn't I think of it before?"

"Because you're a slow thinker," Kairi replied with a chuckle.

"Am not!"

"Yeah," Ikuto rolled his eyes. "And I hate cats."

Tadase got out the camera and took picture of the group and the newly-weds. Rima threw up the bouquet and it went flying through the air. "Not again!" Amu groaned as it came towards her. Suddenly, Yaya went for a dive, crashed into Amu who landed on Ikuto, but managed to catch the flowers.

"Yaya scores~" She sang. Everyone laughed.

_Isn't it great, Rima-chan?_

Rima stopped laughing. "Kusukusu?"

_It's wonderful, isn't it, Nadeshiko._

_Yeah, man. Great flirting times, you know?_

Nagihiko stopped laughing too. "Temari? Rhythm?"

_Because you found where you wanted to be_, the charas said together. _Your wishes have come true! It was because you kept faith in what you wanted, so it's your happy ending!_

_Because, dude, you were a girl before._

_Not that it is a bad thing, right Rhythm?_

_No, not at all, but you were someone who wasn't you. So, man, you took off your mask and saw with your own eyes what you could do._

_And with that knowledge_, Temari continued. _You were able to control your future and make your dreams come true!_

_Yes_, Kusukusu agreed. _Rima, you too. Being trapped in your little sad world didn't give you happiness, but you were so scared of getting hurt again, you didn't want to laugh anymore, so you masked yourself away from it. But you can never really run away from happiness, it's your choice and yours alone if you want it back. And you did, slowly, little by little._

"You guys," Rima wiped away a tear. "Thank you." She said with a smile.

_No crying, Rima!_

_Smile!_

_Dude, make your woman happy on her wedding day_.

Rima and Nagihiko laughed.

"Okay," and without warning, Nagihiko picked Rima off her feet and carried her bridle-style to a white car waiting for them. Rima squirmed, but couldn't get out of her husband's grasp. A large crowd of relatives, friends and neighbours threw flowers into the air, hoping for the best of the couple.

"Rima!" A woman and a man came forward just before the couple got into the car. "We want to tell you something."

Rima got down and walked over to her parents. "Mama, Papa! I didn't think you would come."

"We wanted to tell you," her mother smiled. "We'd never miss _our_ girl's wedding."

"That's right," her father added. "And we wanted to tell you we were sorry for ignoring you when you needed us."

Her mother grasped her hands. "Can you ever forgive us?"

Rima stared at her parents. The very parents who had made every minute of her life miserable as a child. The parents who never seemed to care about her.

_Everything good deserves to be happy._

"Yes," Rima hugged her parents, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I forgive you."

"Nadeshiko!" Nagihiko turned to see his mother on the other side of him.

"Mother," he said in a low voice. "I told you not to call me that anymore."

She smiled. "Sorry, old habits." Then she rummaged through her bag. "I needed to give something back to you."

She handed him an old orange ball.

Nagihiko took it in his hands and studied it for a few seconds. "Isn't this…?"

"I never had the heart to throw it away," his mother admitted. "I was just waiting for the right day and time to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

Nagihiko's mother stiffened some-what. "To tell you that I was wrong."

Nagihiko stared at his mother. She had never admitted she was wrong. Even when she was wrong, she was right. And now she was apologizing.

_There might be… another me._

"Mother…"

"It was wrong to take away something so precious from you," his mother continued. "I didn't realize it until you finished growing up. And I am regretful for that."

Nagihiko stopped her with a hug. "It's okay, at least I have memories."

Nagihiko's mother smiled as a load of bricks seemed to be relieved off of her back. She pulled him away and took a look at him. An evil smile played on her lips. "I'll be expecting grandchildren soon."

"Mother!" Nagihiko began to redden.

"You too, Rima," her mother winked and her father grinned.

Rima and Nagihiko blushed like tomatoes.

"Sensei!" The children cheered for their teachers.

It felt like Nikaidou-sensei and Yukari's wedding was repeating itself in a way. The children looked as excited as the Guardians did so many years ago. The smiles, the laughter, the way their eyes sparkled with admiration and delight. The excitement as they jumped up and down, liveliness in everything. Their Heart's Egg being formed, some were already bearers. But whatever happened, Rima and Nagihiko hoped they'd have a happy ending as well.

"Wataru," Nagihiko stood in front of a fairly short red-headed boy. "Here." He tossed the ball lightly into his hands.

The boy stared at it in wonder. "Is this… for me?"

"Yes," Nagihiko told him. "Just because you're short doesn't mean you can't play basket ball or can't be one of the best players. If you keep practicing, you can do whatever you wish."

The boy smiled. "I-I can?"

"Of course!"

A little faint 'X' mark disappeared.

_Giving hopes to the next generation, Nagihiko?_

_Dude, you're always so nice._

Nagihiko rolled his eyes. "You guys should know me better." He said when no one was looking.

Rima walked over to a group of her students. As they all admired her dress, she saw a pretty raven-haired girl at the edge of the group, all alone. "Fekari," Rima motioned her.

Fekari looked shocked that Rima had asked for her, but did as she was told. Rima bent down to the little girl. "Hey, won't you smile?"

The girl blinked. "But I have nothing to smile about."

Rima smirked. "If I do something funny, will you smile for me?"

She nodded her head lightly. But what could her teacher do to make her happy? Rima pulled her face from opposite sides and pleaded, "Smile, Fekari!"

The girl stared at the beautiful lady in front of her. The bride of the wedding doing something so childish and immature… Fekari couldn't help but laugh.

"Wow, Fekari!" One of the girls came over to her. "You're so cute when you smile!"

"Yeah, show us again!" Another girl came. "You should smile more often."

Soon enough, Fekari was surrounded by a group of girls and chattered away as Fakari smiled and laughed with them. A faint 'X' on her egg, already gone.

_She's relieved a bit of her grief._ Kusukusu said in Rima's mind. _I'm glad you gave her something to laugh about._

"You know I hate seeing sad people," Rima grinned. Then she walked over to where Nagihiko was standing and got in the car with him.

The crowd cheered and threw flowers and ribbons after them.

"And they lived happily ever after," Nagihiko teased.

Rima resisted the urge to snort. "Yeah, yeah. Shut up," and kissed him.

Every Heart's Egg will be masked by some difficulties in life, you'll be forced to reach certain expectations in life, meet goals you're forced to achieve.

That's why you have to take it off…

**.**

**.::.**

**And Shine!**

**.::.**

**.**

* * *

**Piggy-chan: YAAAAAAYYYYYYZ! It's finiMUNDO!**

**Rima: ... Uh, okay?**

**Piggy-chan: Pwease review! Especially _somone_ who I did this for, *COUGHCOUGHAQUATWINCOUGHCOUGH***

**Nagihiko: We had a happily ever after!**

**Rima: Shut it, purple-head.**

**Nagihiko: You can't speak that way to your husband, Rima.**

**Rima: I'M NOT MARRIED TO YOU!**

**Nagihiko&Piggy-chan: Uh, YEAH you are.**

**Rima: Ugh. Whatever. Review. Or I'll haunt you in your dreams and make them nightmares. Seriously, clicky zee button.**


End file.
